Electronic Display Locket and System

ABSTRACT

A locket includes a chamber and a door, with the chamber housing an electronic display, a microprocessor with associated memory coupled thereto, a wireless transceiver coupled to the microprocessor, and a power source. Messages/pictures can be displayed on the display through use of a system incorporating the locket, a mobile unit having a locket application and a wireless transceiver, and an application server device with a database. The system may also include a separately networked computer-type device. A locket user can log into the application server, register the locket, and create a user profile including one or more of interests, personal information, social connections, etc., that would establish how the locket can receive content. The system allows permitted friends to send messages/pictures through the application server to the locket for display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field

The subject disclosure relates to small wearable devices incorporatingan electronic display and systems associated therewith. Moreparticularly, the subject disclosure relates to lockets and otherwearable devices that incorporate an electronic display and systemsassociated therewith where the user may control in advance what and whocan provide viewable information and pictures to the wearable device.

2. State of the Art

Lockets are pendants with a small chamber and a door that opens toreveal a photograph or other small item held in the chamber. Lockets aregenerally worn on chains around the neck of a person and often hold aphoto of the person who gave the locket. Lockets come in various shapesand are often made of precious metals such as gold or silver, and mayalso be set with precious or semi-precious stones. They generally holdone or two small photographs or a keepsake item such as a lock of hair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that arefurther described below in the detailed description. This summary is notintended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope ofthe claimed subject matter.

In one embodiment, a locket is provided that includes a chamber and adoor covering the chamber, with the chamber housing an electronicdisplay, a microprocessor with associated memory coupled to the display,a wireless transceiver coupled to the microprocessor, and a powersource. In one embodiment, the chamber is made at least partially of aprecious metal such as gold or silver, and the door is made at leastpartially of a precious metal such as gold or silver, or of crystal,quartz, or mother-of-pearl, or a precious or semi-precious stone. In oneembodiment, the electronic display is an LCD display no more than twoinches by two inches in size. In another embodiment, the electronicdisplay is an LCD display of approximately one inch by one inch in size.In one embodiment, the battery is a rechargeable battery. Therechargeable battery may be recharged using a hardwire connectionprovided to the locket, or the locket may be provided with an inductioncoil and the battery may be recharged using a surface (induction)charger.

In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes theafore-described locket having the chamber, door, electronic display,microprocessor, wireless transceiver and power source. The systemfurther includes a mobile unit such as a cell phone having a locketapplication and a wireless transceiver, and an application server devicewith a database. In one embodiment, the system may also include aseparately networked device such as a desktop, laptop, or othercomputer.

According to one embodiment, upon purchase (or receipt) of the locket, auser could log into the application server device, register the locket,and create a profile for themselves. Login could be established via amobile phone, or a networked device such as a desktop, laptop, or othercomputer. The profile could establish one or more of interests, personalinformation, social connections, etc., that would establish how thelocket can receive content. For example, the profile could indicate thatthe user is religious and would like to receive a message or picturewith religious content every morning at 6 AM. Alternatively, or inaddition, as another example, the profile could identify the emailaddresses of one, two, or more people (“friend(s)”) from whom the useris willing to receive pictures and/or messages on the locket. The usercould also provide a default picture for the locket. The personalinformation kept in the profile may include an email address for theuser and a mobile telephone number. All of the information regarding theprofile is stored on the application server device. In one embodiment,the user might then download an application (“a locket app”) for amobile device that the user is likely to keep near herself, e.g., amobile phone. The mobile device may then be synchronized (synched) tothe locket via the wireless transceivers. For example, each transceivermay be a BLUETOOTH transceiver (Bluetooth being a trademark of theBluetooth Special Interest Group, of Kirkland, Wash.) using a BLUETOOTHstandard protocol. Thus, upon registration and generation of a profile,the application server device may send a message (e.g., a defaultpicture selected by the user that may have been uploaded to theapplication server device by the user) to the mobile device. If thelocket is on or is turned on, the message is then forwarded to thelocket using the BLUETOOTH protocol, and the locket can then display themessage on the LCD display.

In one embodiment, when a “friend” wishes to send the locket user apicture or message, the friend can access the application server deviceand upon establishing their identity, can upload the picture and/ormessage for delivery to the locket of the user. In one embodiment, ifthe user's profile permits receipt of a picture and/or message from thefriend, the picture and/or message is forwarded to the mobile device ofthe user utilizing the “locket app” synching. Then, when the user turnson the locket, or if the locket is kept on, the mobile device willforward the picture and/or message to the locket utilizing thetransceivers, and the picture and/or message will appear on the LCDdisplay.

In one embodiment, the user may set her profile to keep a friend'smessage or picture for a predetermined amount of time until the defaultmessage or picture reappears. In another embodiment, the user maygenerate a message from the locket or from the mobile device to resetthe display. In another embodiment, the profile may keep a friend'smessage or picture until another message or picture is received.

In one embodiment, the locket is provided with an on-off switch that isactivated when the locket is opened. In other words, the electronics ofthe locket is turned off when the door of the locket is closed, and thelocket turns on when the door is opened.

Additional aspects of the subject disclosure will become evident tothose of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the drawings,specification, and claims hereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic display locket in a closedposition.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an electronic display locket in an openposition.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an electronic display locket.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of a system incorporating an electronic displaylocket, a mobile unit with a locket app, and an application serverdevice.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a method of initiating and using anelectronic display locket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment of an electronic display locket 10 is seen in FIGS. 1-3.In FIGS. 1 and 2, locket 10 is shown hanging from a chain 12 via aconnector link 14. The locket 10 includes a chamber 20 having aplurality of walls and a door 30 covering the chamber. The door 30 ismovable from a closed locket position (FIG. 1) to an open locketposition (FIG. 2). While the door and chamber are shown with hinges 32for rotation of the door relative to the chamber, it will be appreciatedthat the door of the locket could swing open with the door staying inthe same plane, rather than rotating about a hinge axis. In oneembodiment, the chamber is made at least partially of a precious metalsuch as gold or silver, and the door is made at least partially of aprecious metal such as gold or silver, or of crystal, quartz, ormother-of-pearl, or of a precious or semi-precious stone. In oneembodiment, the door is provided with a slot for storing a tangiblepicture 37. The door and chamber may also provided with a latch-claspmechanism for keeping the door in a closed position and for permittingrelease of the door.

As seen in FIG. 2, the chamber 20 of the locket 10 houses an electronicdisplay 40 which is either flush with or slightly recessed into the topof the chamber. Behind the display 40, is a substrate 45 (such as a PCBboard) that supports electronic components including microprocessor 50(with associated memory) coupled to the display 40, a short rangewireless transceiver 60 coupled to the microprocessor, and a powersource 70 as shown in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the electronic displayis an LCD display no more than two inches by two inches in size.

In another embodiment, the electronic display is an LCD display ofapproximately one inch by one inch in size. For purposes herein, theterm “approximately” when relating to sizes shall be understood to meanplus or minus 10%. In other embodiments, the electronic display isbetween 0.75 inches and 2.5 inches in two dimensions. The electronicdisplay may be round, octagonal, square, rectangular, oval, or of othershape. The display may also be partly covered along portions of itsperiphery so as to appear to assume a particular shape. Various suchdisplays are available such as a LS010B7DH01 0.99-inch Memory LCD ofSharp Electronics Corp., Mahwah, NJ. The short range wirelesstransceiver 60 can provide for bidirectional wireless communication toother nearby devices via one or more standard wireless protocols such asthe BLUETOOTH protocol. The microprocessor 50, transceiver 60 anddisplay 40 are powered by the battery 70 that provides appropriatevoltage(s) to the microprocessor, transceiver and display, or whichincludes circuitry to provide the required voltage(s). In oneembodiment, the battery is a button type battery that can be removed andreplaced from the back of the chamber via a second chamber door (notshown). In another embodiment, the battery is a rechargeable battery orsuper-capacitor. The rechargeable battery may be recharged using ahardwire connection provided to the locket (not shown). In anotherembodiment, the locket may be provided with an induction coil (notshown), and associated circuitry that operate to recharge the batteryusing a surface (induction) charger. Where an induction coil isutilized, the back of the chamber can be formed from a non-metallicsubstance such as crystal, plastic, quartz, or other stone that willallow for induction charging via the coil.

In one embodiment, an on-off switch 75 is provided in or adjacent to thechamber 20. The switch 75 is operatively coupled to the microprocessor50 and can be configured to selective turn on/off one or more of the LCDdisplay 40 and the transceiver 60. In one embodiment, the switch 75 isactivated by the door 30 such that when the door of the locket isclosed, the electronics are turned off, and when the door is opened, theelectronics are turned on. By way of example, the switch, in a firstposition may interrupt a power supply circuit to the elements that areturned off, and in a second position, the power supply circuit iscompleted.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a diagram of a system 100 is providedincorporating an electronic display locket 10, a mobile unit 110 with alocket app, and an application server device 210. More particularly, amobile unit 110 such as a cell phone, an iPAD (a trademark of Apple,Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), or similar device is provided with a shortrange wireless transceiver 112 such as a BLUETOOTH transceiver. Assuggested by FIG. 4, the transceiver 112 of the mobile unit 110 and thetransceiver 60 of the electronic display locket 10 can communicate witheach other. In addition, the mobile unit 110 supports wirelesscommunication over a cell-based radio access network 114 that includesbase stations 115 and corresponding controllers 116 that interface to apacket switched core network 118 that is connected to an IP accessnetwork and the Internet 119. The mobile unit 110 is also provided witha locket app that may be downloaded to the mobile unit 110 via the radioaccess network 114 as described hereinafter. In one embodiment, thesystem may also include a separately networked device such as a desktop,laptop, or other computer 130 that is coupled to the Internet 119. Themobile unit 110, and where utilized, the networked computer 130 includesoftware suitable for interacting with the cloud service utilizingnetworked communication.

The communication network(s) 114, 118, 119, as well as the operatingsystem of the mobile unit 110 and the networked computer 130 can providesupport for TCP/IP networking and suitable messaging protocols in orderto communicate messages and/or data between such devices and the cloudservice. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the completestructure and operation of communication networks and other componentswithin the system are not depicted or described. Embodiments may beemployed in conjunction with known communications networks and othercomponents.

The system of FIG. 4 incorporates the application server device 210 andassociated database 230. In conjunction with the database 230, theapplication server device 210 can communicate with the locket app,executing on the mobile unit 110 in order to perform multiple tasks andallowing access by the user of the locket and friends of the user toperform multiple tasks. While not shown, mobile units and/or networkedcomputers of friends may also be connected via either or both of theradio access network 114 and the Internet 119 to the application serverdevice 210. In addition, while not shown, a single application serverdevice 210 may be used to service the functionality of numerous (e.g.,thousands or tens of thousands or more) different electronic displaylockets.

In one embodiment, for each electronic display locket, the applicationserver 210 is suitably configured to: register the electronic displaylocket, receive and store a profile for the locket user, provide alocket app to the mobile unit and/or networked computer of the user,determine whether a contact providing messages and/or pictures is afriend of the user, receive messages and/or pictures from friends of theuser, and exchange data with the mobile device 110 of the user via theradio access network 114 in order to load data representing messagesand/or pictures onto the mobile unit. Once loaded onto the mobile unit110, the messages and/or pictures can be communicated to the locket 10via the wireless link therebetween for visual display on the displayscreen 40 of the locket 10.

In one aspect, each electronic display locket 10 may be provided with aunique serial number or code that identifies that locket. When a useracquires the locket, and as seen in FIG. 5, that identification may beprovided to the application server 210 by contacting the applicationserver 210 and providing the identification at 302. The electronicdisplay locket will then be registered. The user may be asked at 304 toprovide and may provide a password or other code for security purposesthat may be used upon logging into the server.

In one aspect, once an electronic display locket is registered, the user(owner) of the locket may generate a user profile at 306. The profilemay establish one or more of interests, personal information, socialconnections, etc., that would establish how the user's locket canreceive content. For example, the profile could indicate that the useris religious and would like to receive a message or picture withreligious content every morning at 6 AM. That message or picture may beprovided by the application server provider or a subcontractor andstored in memory associated with the application server device fordelivery at the desired time. Alternatively, the profile could indicatethat the user enjoys surprises and would like images, words, quotations,etc. provided to the locket at random times. The application servercould then access a database of images, words, or quotations and deliverthe same at random times. Alternatively or in addition, as anotherexample, the profile could identify the email addresses of one, two, ormore people (“friend(s)”) from whom the user is willing to receivepictures and/or messages on the locket. The user could also provide adefault picture for the locket. The personal information kept in theprofile may include an email address for the user and a mobile telephonenumber. All of the information regarding the profile is stored in thedatabase 230 associated with the application server device 210.

In one aspect, once an electronic display locket is registered, at 308the user might then download from the application server device 210 anapplication (“a locket app”) for a mobile device that the user is likelyto keep near herself, e.g., a mobile phone, and that

In one aspect, at any time after the electronic locket is registered andthe user has obtained the locket app for her mobile device, if a messageis to be sent at 310, the mobile device may be synchronized (synched) byconnecting at 311 to the application server device 210 and bydownloading the message at 313. This may be done in a manner chosen bythe user or according to a default mechanism. For example, the usermight choose to actively generate a synchronization by accessing the appon the mobile device 110 and hitting “synch”. Alternatively, as long asthe app is running on the mobile device 110, the application serverdevice 210 may periodically synch. Upon synchronization, the applicationserver device 210 may send a message at 313 (e.g., a default pictureselected by the user that may have been uploaded to the applicationserver device by the user) to the mobile device.

In one aspect, when a message from the application server device 210 isprovided to the mobile device 110, the application server may also senda text message alert (or a text message may be automatically begenerated by the app) to the mobile device 110 that notifies the userthat a message or picture is available . For example, the alert mightsay “Message Waiting”. As another example, the alert might use atrademark phrase such as “WHAT'S IN MY LOCKET?” in order to notify theuser that a message or picture is being provided for display.

In one aspect, for a registered electronic locket, once a message orpicture is has been sent to the mobile device 110 for display on thelocket, if the locket is on or is turned on and within range of themobile device 110, the locket and mobile device are synched byconnecting at 315 and by forwarding the message to the locket using theBLUETOOTH protocol at 317. The locket can then display the message onthe LCD display at 317. In other words, the electronic display locket 10will synch to the mobile device 110 and receive the message for display.In one embodiment, the user may control the synching of the locket 10 tothe mobile device 110 with a control button on the locket. In anotherembodiment, the user may control the synching of the locket 10 to themobile device 110 by actively generating a synchronization via thelocket app on the mobile device 110.

In one aspect, when a “friend” wishes to send the locket user a pictureor message, the friend can access the application server device 210 at331, and upon establishing their identity, can upload (either directly,or using an app provided by the application server device 210 to thefriend) the picture and/or message for delivery to the locket of theuser. In one embodiment, based on a look-up in the profile of the userat 333, if the user's profile permits receipt of a picture and/ormessage from the friend, the picture and/or message is received from thefriend at 335 and forwarded to the mobile device of the user utilizingthe “locket app” synching. In one embodiment, the friend may establishthe timing of the forwarding of the picture and/or message. Then,immediately, or at an appropriate time, when the user turns on thelocket, or if the locket is kept on, the mobile device will forward thepicture and/or message to the locket utilizing the transceivers, and thepicture and/or message will appear on the LCD display as previouslydescribed.

In one embodiment, the user may set her profile to keep a friend'smessage or picture for a predetermined amount of time until the defaultmessage or picture reappears. In another embodiment, the user maygenerate a message from the locket via a reset button or the like (notshown) or from the mobile device 210 using the locket app to reset thedisplay. In another embodiment, the profile may keep a friend's messageor picture until another message or picture is received.

In one embodiment, the locket has no control buttons for use by the userthat impact the receiving or displaying of messages or pictures.

In one embodiment, the locket may have a single button for use by theuser for controlling an aspect of the receiving or displaying ofmessages or pictures.

In one embodiment, the locket may have a button for use by the user thatcontrols the opening of the locket.

In one embodiment, the locket may have a button for use by the user thatcontrols the powering on or off of the locket.

According to one aspect, the locket may be worn on a wrist and appear tobe a wristwatch with a cover.

There have been described and illustrated herein several embodiments ofan electronic display locket and system and a method of using the same.While particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it isnot intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intendedthat the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and thatthe specification be read likewise. Thus, while particular electronicdisplays have been disclosed, it will be appreciated that otherelectronic displays may be used as well. In addition, while particulartypes of power sources have been disclosed, it will be understood thatother power sources can be used. While particular materials for thelocket chamber and door have been disclosed, other materials could beutilized. By way of example and not by way of limitation, the locketchamber and/or door could utilize acrylic or other plastics, brass, andother metals or alloys. Also, while the “door” of the locket in thedescribed embodiments as seen as the front of the locket, and thechamber is seen as the back of the locket, the “door” could be the back,and the chamber could be the front. It will therefore be appreciated bythose skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made tothe provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope asclaimed.

1. An electronic display device, comprising: a chamber having at leastone wall, and an opening; a door coupled to said at least one wall andcoupled to the chamber so that said door covers at least a first portionof a face of said chamber in a first position and so that said doorreveals said at least a first portion of a face of said chamber in asecond position; a hinge coupling said door and said chamber, and saidchamber, door and hinge comprise a locket having a coupling element thatcouples to a chain; an electronic display for displaying pictures ormessages, said electronic display located in said chamber, wherein saidelectronic display is at most 2 inches by 2 inches in size; a processorcoupled to said electronic display, said processor controlling saidelectronic display and located in said chamber; a wireless transceivercoupled to said processor and located in said chamber; and a powersource coupled to said electronic display and said processor and locatedin said chamber.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The electronic display deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: said electronic display is a liquidcrystal display (LCD).
 4. The electronic display device according toclaim 1, wherein: said power source is a rechargeable battery.
 5. Theelectronic display device according to claim 1, wherein: said powersource comprises an induction coil.
 6. The electronic display deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said at least one sidewall, back wall, and door comprises precious metal.
 7. The electronicdisplay device according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of said atleast one side wall, back wall, and door comprises a semi-precious orprecious stone.
 8. The electronic display device according to claim 1,further comprising: an on/off switch coupled to said display andactivated by said door.
 9. The electronic display according to claim 8,further comprising: a hinge coupling said door and said chamber, whereinsaid chamber, door and hinge comprise a locket having a coupling elementthat couples to a chain, said electronic display is a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) of at most 2 inches by 2 inches in size.
 10. Theelectronic display according to claim 9, wherein: said wirelesstransceiver is a short distance wireless transceiver.
 11. A system,comprising: a display device having a chamber with a door coupledthereto, said chamber containing an electronic display, a processorcoupled to and controlling said electronic display, a first shortdistance wireless transceiver coupled to said processor and a powersource coupled to said electronic display and said processor; a mobileunit comprising a second short distance wireless transceiver and awireless communication element that communicates over a cell-based radioaccess network, said first and second short distance wirelesstransceivers adapted to communicate to each other; and an applicationserver device and associated database, said application server devicecoupled to the Internet, wherein said mobile unit is adapted tosynchronize to said application server device so that messages andpictures can be sent from said application server device to said mobileunit, and said mobile unit is adapted to synchronize to said electronicdisplay device via said first and second short distance wirelesstransceivers so that said messages and pictures can be sent from saidmobile unit to said electronic display device for display on saidelectronic display.
 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein: saidmobile unit is adapted to run an app provided by said application serverdevice.
 13. The system according to claim 11, wherein: said displaydevice has an identification number stored at said associated databaseof said application server device, and said associated database furtherstores a user profile associated with said identification number. 14.The system according to claim 13, wherein: said user profile includes atleast one of interests, personal information, and social connections ofa user of said display device, wherein said user profile is utilized tocontrol content provided by said application server device to saiddisplay device.
 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein: saidsocial connections includes information regarding at least oneauthorized friend of the user that permits said application serverdevice to identify contact by the friend.
 16. The system according toclaim 14, wherein: said profile includes a default picture provided bythe user for display on the display device.
 17. The system according toclaim 14, wherein: a hinge coupling said door and said chamber, and saidchamber, door and hinge comprise a locket having a coupling element thatcouples to a chain, and said electronic display is a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) of at most 2 inches by 2 inches in size.
 18. The systemaccording to claim 17, wherein: said display device includes an on/offswitch electrically coupled to said electronic display and activated bysaid door.
 19. A method for displaying a picture to a user, comprising:providing a system including (i) a display device having a chamber witha door coupled thereto, the chamber containing an electronic display, aprocessor coupled to and controlling the electronic display, a firstshort distance wireless transceiver coupled to the processor and a powersource coupled to the electronic display and the processor, and (ii) anapplication server device and associated database, said applicationserver device coupled to the Internet; permitting access by the user tothe application server device to register the display device with theapplication server device and to establish a user profile; providing adisplay device app to a mobile unit of the user that is adapted tosynchronize to the application server device so that the picture can besent from the application server device to the mobile unit, and that isadapted to synchronize to said display device via the short distancewireless transceiver; and utilizing the user profile, sending thepicture from the application server via the mobile unit of the user tothe display device for display on the electronic display.
 20. The methodaccording to claim 19, wherein: the display device comprises a hingecoupling said door and said chamber, and said chamber, door and hingecomprise a locket having a coupling element that couples to a chain, andsaid electronic display is a liquid crystal display (LCD) of at most 2inches by 2 inches in size.